Some rural interstate highways in Missouri will soon have a 75 mph speed limit as state transportation officials move forward with changes authorized by a new state law.
The Missouri Department of Transportation has completed a review of eligible interstate corridors and selected specific highway segments where speed limits will increase from 70 mph to 75 mph. The higher limit applies only to certain rural interstate stretches that met the agency’s safety and engineering criteria.
According to MoDOT, the review looked at traffic patterns, truck volumes, crash history, roadway design, terrain, construction activity and how fast traffic is already moving on eligible routes.
“We can move people and traffic efficiently at higher speeds without sacrificing safety,” MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger said in announcing the changes.
Drivers will not see the higher speed limit immediately. MoDOT crews will spend the coming weeks replacing signs and the current speed limits remain in effect until the new signs are posted. The department said it will continue tracking crash data on the highways with the higher speed limit and could return those routes to 70 mph if there are safety issues.
Hassinger also warned that Missouri’s interstate system was not designed for speeds well above the new limit, stressing that safe driving habits, including buckling up, staying alert and driving sober, remain critical regardless of the posted speed limit.
A map showing the interstate segments receiving the new 75 mph speed limit is available on MoDOT’s website.
Here are the highways:
- I-29:
- From Exit 56 in Andrew County to approximately 2.5 miles south of the Iowa border (64 miles)
- I-35:
- From the northern Cameron city limit to approximately 4 miles south of the Iowa border (55 miles)
- I-49:
- From the Arkansas border to Exit 24 (24 miles)
- From Exit 56 to just south of Exit 101 in Nevada (45 miles)
- I-55:
- From the Arkansas border to mile marker 16.6 just south of the I-155 interchange (17 miles)
- From mile marker 19.8 just north of the MO 84 interchange to mile marker 64.9 at the Rte. AA bridge (45 miles)
- From mile marker 70.5 just north of the Rte. HH interchange to mile marker 86.6 just south of the Rte. PP interchange (16 miles)
- From mile marker 106.4 just north of Exit 105 to mile marker 164.9 at the Jefferson County line (59 miles)